UE adds another verbal commit from reputable 3-point shooter

Ptacek makes it two in one day for Aces coaches

Back on Oct. 29, 2012, University of Evansville's men's basketball coaches landed two commitments in one day from high school seniors.

Aces coaches did it again Tuesday when Tyler Ptacek, a 6-foot-2 guard at Padua Franciscan (Ohio) High School and former UNC Wilmington signee, added his verbal pledge following one earlier in the day from The Rock (Fla.) School guard Christian Benzon.

Ptacek tweeted the news just after 9 p.m. and rounds out what will be a five-player incoming recruiting class for Evansville once he and Benzon sign binding letters of intent. Both players made their decision with the NCAA's signing period, which ends Wednesday, winding down.

Ptacek received a release from UNC Wilmington a week ago and immediately showed interest in Evansville as well as NCAA tournament Cinderella Florida Gulf Coast. He's from the Cleveland suburbs not far from Aces signee Duane Gibson, who attended Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School.

Other Aces signees include Fishers High School guard Jaylon Brown and Castle High School forward Blake Simmons, son of coach Marty Simmons.

Known for his shooting abilities, Ptacek averaged 19.2 points per game as a senior at Padua while becoming the school's career scoring leader. Rivals.com and ESPN both rank him as a two-star prospect.

Benzon meanwhile made his pledge following an official visit over the weekend. The 6-foot-4 combo guard is a Danish exchange student living in Gainesville, Fla.

"Not a great shooter, but he works extremely hard at it and all the things he needs to do to become a better player," said Justin Harden, Benzon's high school coach. "He has a good basketball IQ — has grown a lot since he's gotten here and become a lot tougher adapting to the American brand of basketball."

Harden labeled Benzon as a slasher-type guard who excels in the open floor using techniques such as the Euro step, where a player picks up his dribble and moves in two directions before taking a shot. Benzon, who touts a 3.7 grade-point average, served as team captain during his junior and senior seasons.

Schools such as South Alabama, Stetson and Florida Gulf Coast offered the two-star prospect scholarships early in his recruitment. As the NCAA's signing period wound down, interest waned.

"Not many people were jumping at the opportunity to do it," Harden said. "He's been under-recruited, I guess. I don't know how else to say it. I think he could have gone to a high-major school and had a lot of success. He'll have immediate success at a place like Evansville. A lot of schools passed up on the opportunity to get him, and he's going to make them pay for that."